1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test socket for testing an IC package, and more particularly to a test socket having discrete guideposts defining imaginary sidewalls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic package, such as integrated circuit (IC), is miniaturized electronic devices in which a number of active and passive circuit elements are located on or within a continuous body of material to perform a function of a complete circuit. To ensure reliability of IC package, IC package requires burn-in test, in which IC package is run at high temperature for an extended period of time to accelerate its lifespan so as to identify any earlier failure, so as to eliminate early product failures before the IC package is sold and assembled into the end product. Thus, a burn-in socket is needed to receive an IC package thereon and electrically connect the IC package with a burn-in testing board.
US Patent Application Public NO. 2006/0148298 invented by Nakao discloses a test socket for loading and electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board, such as a test printed circuit board, which includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, a first cover pivotally assembled to the insulative housing and a second cover pivotally assembled to the first cover. The insulative housing has a box-shape configure and defines a receiving space in a center thereof for receiving the IC package. However, due to developments of electronic industry and communication industry, people need various and small amount of products, including IC packages to meet the field requirements. As a result, the above-mentioned test socket may not properly adapt to this trend, for the test socket must be changed with another one which having a proper receiving space for another IC package to be tested.
Another test socket modify its base for receiving the IC package into two-piece, including a metal frame and a plastic board on a bottom of the frame which cooperates with the frame to define a receiving cavity for the IC package, to meet this various and small amount design trend. However, when the socket is mounted to the printed circuit board by surface mounting technology (SMT), the board will deforms and warp for the metallic and plastic material have different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), especially in case the board has a large size.
Hence, it is required to improve the disadvantages of the above sockets.